Web of Shadows

Blayke strolled through Old Town and towards the Inn, a smile crossed his face as he remembered the elf he had left curled-up and bleeding in the Ghostland's dust a few days before - and to make the whole event even more enjoyable, he had done it with his Commanders blessing. Revenge, was indeed, sweet.

Afterwards, he was sure that he had caught a glimpse of Odenia spying on him from a rooftop, well he assumed spying since she didn't call out and greet him. "That damned woman probably has her keeping a watch on me" he muttered to himself. He hoped Odenia would be at the inn, if she didn't mention seeing him then his suspicions would be confirmed. However, only Robi was there and as he walked in she stood up to greet him.

"Ah Blayke, just the man...." said Robi in 'that' voice, wearing 'that' smile, which told Blayke this was going to be something he didn't want to hear.

"Commander" he replied with an incline of his head, a small tight smile fixed on his face as he waited for whatever reprimand was to come. She had most likely seen Serrar by now and perhaps, in fact most likely, considered his beating far too much of a payback.

"You have seen the elf, I take it?" he continued in a polite tone.

"Serrar? Yes, I can see that you too have seen him" she laughed lightly.

Blayke returned a smile and again an incline of his head as acknowledgement; his smile as bereft of warmth as was Robi's laugh.

"He accepted that the matter is now settled, as do you" she added

"Of course, Commander" replied Blayke, no longer sure where the conversation would go.

"And before I forget..."

Robi reached under the table and pulled out a heavy leather satchel, dropping it onto the table with a thud.

"...this came for you".

Blayke looked at the satchel and then back at Robi. He'd been expecting this delivery but it wasn't scheduled to arrive until this evening, at a time when he knew it unlikely that the Commander would be about.

"He said that he hoped you didn't mind but he was in the city for another job and, well, when he saw I too was part of the Brotherhood he knew it was safe to leave it with me since it was payment due to the Chapter. Explain?".

"...'That' smile again" thought Blayke as he quickly ran through his options in his head. There was no point denying it was his, she wouldn't accept that for a moment and his charm would hit an impenetrable wall of cynicism. He could bluff that it was a personal matter, had the courier not told her it was payment due to the Brotherhood. As much as it pained him to do so, his only option was the truth and be damned.

"Protection payment, Commander"

"Go on.."

"I offer the traders in Redridge some protection against the unexpected. Things such as fires, damage to their premises and unfortunate accidents to themselves or their employees." continued Blayke unabashed, "..or should I say, I do on behalf of the Brotherhood."

Robi lifted the satchel and dropped it again with a thud.

"It seems they pay well, Blayke. So, why haven't I seen this go through the accounts for the Stormwind Chapter?"

"An oversight, with the change of Commander, it must have slipped my mind to mention I'd arranged this." replied Blayke a little too smugly.

"How unfortunate, perhaps the Five can give you a reminder for such future arrangements?"

Blayke looked uncomfortable, his smile fading on realisation of how the Five would take having been swindled by one of their own senior operatives.

"I'm not sure that will be necessary, Commander" replied Blayke quickly, "I am sure I can provide back-payment for funds received".

"And the other 'arrangements'..?"

"Yes, Westfall also, Commander" replied Blayke resignedly.

"I expect seventy-five percent of funds received since I took command to be deposited into the Chapter's account within two days." stated Robi. "These arrangements will continue going forward, and your cut is to be negotiated". Robi smiled, a plan forming in her head. "Get the Brotherhood together, we have a few things to discuss."

Robi stood at the head of the table in the old town inn and looked at her two officers.

"Sit, and straight to business" she said bluntly."We need to procure a new base, this inn is far too busy for some of the matters I wish to discuss and besides" she paused and pointed at Christopher Farel and Aedis Brom, "those two are really starting to get on my wick, If I hear once more about his thumb in his baccy pouch..."
Blayke laughed and nodded his agreement.
"Anywhere in mind Commander?" he asked
She shrugged and looked at Blayke
"Dunno, perhaps Redridge or Westfall, I understand we have good relationships there,,," she looked hard at Blayke who looked down hiding a smirk.
"Indeed" he replied.
Odenia looked across at Blayke with a curious frown and raised her beautifully arched eyebrows.
"We do..?" she ventured
Robi nodded "Blayke will explain later"
"I think Ive missed something" said Odenia with a slight smile and a shake of her hair.
Robi turned to her
"Youve been off comms for days Odenia, no word from you" Robis voice was uncharacteristically stern "Explain?"
Odenia looked up at her commander, slightly flustered at being asked.
"I..I ...had a lot of interference on and lost contact...it's it's alright now though..." she said softly her face scarlet.
"You didn't think to bring it in?Report the issue?drop a note in the mail? or even come to the inn, if I wasnt here then leave a message with Reese...he's discreet...I own the man..." Robi said shortly
Odenia looked down, her lip trembled slightly.
"I.m sorry Commander...I didn't think..." she stammered.
"Perhaps Commander" interjected Blayke "It's the fault with the communicator, shoddy workmanship, faulty goods.." he pffered a supportive smile to Odenia,
Robi rolled her eyes. Hope Odenia didnt think Blayke actually gave a damn about her reprimand, he wasn't offering support, it was just another opportunity to take the opposite stance to her.
"Unlikely..." snapped Robi "But feel free to check it out"
She turned back to Odenia.
"Bring your comms in, give it to Monty, let him look at it we'll see what the problem is"
"Yes Commander" Odenia said softly still starting at her clasped hands in her lap.
"In future, any reason youre off comms other than being dead..I want to know..."
"And how are we supposed to do that...Commander?" asked Blayke, etching that 'smug git' smirk on his face.
Robi banged her hand on the table.
"I don't care how you do it, you just do...kidnap a feckin pigeon if you have to, am I clear?"
Robi and Blayke squared up to each other and Odenia coughed gently.
"I apologise Commander, it won't happen again"
Robi nodded.
"I'll let it rest there Odenia, don't lets have a repeat of this conversation huh?" and Robi smiled warmly. Incident closed.

"Right then..business..." she looked her officers and smile warmly as she sat down.

Turning to Blayke she smiled.
"Your business venture Blayke....." Blayke bit his lip and lowered his head. "Will carry on and I want you to look to expand maybe Darkshire? Swamp of Sorrows? Is this feasible?"
Blayke looked up and regarded her, not able to hide the surprise he felt, he nodded and returned the smile.
"I can look into this..." he sounded animated as Robi nodded.
"First I want us to check this city for similar operations, I want every protection cartel, brothel and black-market in this city found and closed down" she started
Odenia and Blayke looked at her eyebrows raised.
"Stamp out these activities as soon as possible...and take them over, if its not Brotherhood run, them it doesn't run at all."
She looked from one to the other looking for reaction. Blayke she noticed looked eager and more animated than she'd seen him before, Odenia looked confused.
"Odenia?" she asked "Problem?"
The red haired woman looked at her and shook her head.Robi smiled kindly, she had anticipated that any objections or moral issues would lie with Odenia.
"Sure?" again she nodded
"Good, Blayke, bring her up to speed later"
Blake nodded and winked at Odenia reassuringly.
"I'm going to see Madame Alison at The Gilded Rose, and offer expert advice about her 'upstairs operation'" Robi laughed then looked thoughtful "And I need to see Shay..I need a favour..."
Both Blayke and Odenia looked curious.
"I might need to borrow his "bully boys" that was the phrase wasn't it Blayke?" she laughed.
Blayke looked impressed.
"Commander, for once I can say I agree with you one hundred percent"
Robi laughed lightly.
"I hope so Blayke, I will be depending on you in this venture" she offered
"As ever Commander, I support your decisions..." he winked at her and Robi nearly choked on her drink.

"All profits from this..sixty percent straight into the Brotherhood accounts" she said "the..."
"And the other forty?" ventured Odenia
Robi grinned.
"Commission Odenia...." she laughed
Odenia nodded thoughtfully then smiled slowly.
"Quite profitable then" she smiled
Robi nodded "The more we turn the more we earn and eventually when Ive pulled our Sin'Dorei cousins into line, I hope to offer a courier service cross faction and shall we say an "import-export" operation."
Blayke actually looked impressed and nodded.

Odenia excused herself, she had some pre-arranged appointment to keep.
"Shadows at your side Odenia" echoed Blayke and Robi as she left.
Robi waited a while.
"Keep an eye on her Blayke" said Robi "I'm unsure if she comprehends this totally"
"You don't trust her?"
"Yes I do but she seems a little clu..."
"Yes she does seem a bit naive, I'll watch out for her Commander" he stated.
Robi leaned back in her chair and looked at Blayke, he raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.
"You are with me?" she asked
"Right beside you Commander, we will run this city believe me" he replied and for once his smile to her was genuine.
"I hoped you'd say that" she laughed, relaxing slightly. "Well shall we make a start?"
Blayke nodded and they left the inn
"Thank you Blayke" she said
Blayke bowed slightly and smirked.
"No Commander..thank you..." he replied and with a spring in his step walked from the inn.

She made her excuses and departed swiftly, keeping her face hidden within her heavy red hood. Odenia had made such an effort over the past few days to straighten up and had invested in new robes in the hope they'd make her look more mature and professional. But once again she had embarrassed herself in the meeting and bumbled like a fool. Firstly the Commander had called her up on her comms being turned off, leaving her completely tongue tied and unable to just say how uncomfortable she had been listening into 'private' murmurs. Odenia just didn't have the confidence. Then of all things brothels were brought up. Her face burnt and her mouth had become dry as sand. For a long time now she had suffered a crippling fear of intimacy and now she would had to address those how made it there lives to explore the pleasures of the flesh. The images of writhing bodies covered in sweat kept flashing into her head. Her legs buckled underneath her and Odenia crumpled down into the ground in a heap. Shaking violently, she tried to pull herself up as the world span around her, grabbing into stacked crates and barrels for support. As Odenia righted herself she took long deep breaths and pulled back her hood so she could shake out her fiery red hair. Cold sweat ran down her neck as she slowly stumbled back to her attic space, causing her to shiver as the bead tickled her flesh.

This is no way to behave. They already think you're immature and naive and now you're giving them more ammunition for doubt! You're going to have to just push thing panics down and act like you're in control.

As soon as she returned to her room she changed into her rough leathers, feeling more at ease in less formal attire. Odenia would just focus on scouting for a new location for the Brotherhood to meet and hopefully that would keep her mind occupied. Perching on her circular windowsill Odenia looked up at the sky and stretched out before leaping out and bursting into her flight form and sailing along the cool breeze. The wind always seemed to help blow away her troubles and allowed her to feel free. She would do her best to be the officer Robi wanted her to be and not let the past drown her.

"Pleeease?" Robi looked up at Shay, putting on her puppy dog eyes and biting her lip.
"You think I can't say no to those eyes..don't you?" he growled but a hint of a smile touched his lips.
Robi put on an expression of feigned hurt then smiled.
"Meh..you know me too well Mr K.." she laughed.
"So I should Mrs K" he half laughed "Now..out with it, what do you want, and more to the point why?"
Robi gave a little sigh and looked down.
"All of it?" she asked
"All of it"
Robi looked up at him again and gave a little half smile
Shay shook his head "No cuteness, it doesn't work, if it concerns the Rose then you should know this."

Robi took a deep breath and nodded, smiling wistfully to herself, she should have known better than to try and play the little girl lost with Shay.

She explained what she wanted.

"No its not the Rose as such, just you and your "bully boys"" she laughed as Shay looked at her and perked an eyebrow at the phrase.
"Bully Boys...?"
Robi shrugged and laughed "Blaykes phrase..."
Shay sighed with irritation at the mention of the name. "I might just kill him for the pleasure of watching him choke.." muttered Shay.
"Will you go into the Blue Recluse and just look menacing?, Look as if you intend to take the place over or something?" she asked.
"Why would I want to take over the Blue Recluse?" he asked
"You don't, just look as if you do, scare the locals and the innkeeper, you wouldn't have to do anything, I think your presence alone would have them looking for the nearest toilet..."
"Robi" Shay looked at her "What are you up to? exactly please, have they threatened you at all?" His eyes darkened angrily and he placed a hand on her cheek "Have they?" All fel would break lose if anyone in The Blue Recluse had so much as looked at her with intent.
Robi considered lying and say that they had, but she couldn't she thought the world of Shay and light knew he was already one of the most hated people in Stormwind, and feared. It wouldn't be fair to take the easy way and agree that she'd been threatened.

"I want to go in later and offer to "help"" she bit her lip "They give The Brotherhood twenty percent of the takings for our assurances that they won't be troubled again"
Shay looked at her and laughed.
"My wife the protection racketeer..." he looked amused."Robi, you know I love you and would do anything for you within my power"
"But...." she said "I sense a but..."
"But " Shay emphasised "I am not prepared to be your "heavy" I wont make a habit of this, I have more important matters to attend to."
Her face fell and she nodded slowly as she lowered her head.
"Alright...I understand" she said
Shay raised her head with a forefinger under her chin and smiled.
"However, perhaps a few of us could do with a night off and relax a little in the local inn" he said "Just this once..."
She smiled up and placed her hand on his.
"Thank you..." she whispered.
"When you help this innkeeper Robi, the twenty percent?" he looked at her.
She nodded looking puzzled
"It's ten" he said firmly "Ten to the Brotherhood and ten to us"
"To the Rose?" she sounded incredulous
"No Robi, ten to us, you and me" he smiled slightly "remember?"
Robi laughed "Team Kaezlan?"
Shay nodded
"You want to control the city?" she laughed
"No Robi, I want to rule it..."


Angus Stern stood shaking, a large carving knife in his hand. Steven Lohan, who too was slightly trembling tried to sooth the chef.

"They've gone Angus." he soothed
"Thugs..." fumed the frightened and angry chef."You heard what that hooded man said, it was a nice place and they'd be back..."
"They weren't thugs" interjected Jaochim the bartender, "They were evil, don't you know who they were?"
The other men looked at him
"The Dead Rose, the hooded man was Shayanan...ruthless killer, determined to rule the world with his dark powers..." The bartenders voice rose in panic. "We can't have them here...they'll destroy us..."

Robi walked into the bar, having spent a few minutes listening to the conversation.Flanked by Blayke they looked around the now empty bar.

"A drink?" she asked the bartender, then feigning concern she furrowed her brow "Is something wrong?"

They looked at her and soon it all poured out.

The Dead Rose had come into their inn, cleared the existing clientèle out and proceeded to treat the inn like it was theirs, demanding drink and food and not paying. When challenged the hooded man had turned his head.
"You still have your lives, is that not payment enough?"

People came in, took a single look at the few Dead Rose assembled and left. They had stayed for some time, prowling around the inn, talking amongst themselves that they might possibly come here again with the rest of their gang.

"Oh Dear" said Robi dryly and turned to look at Blayke with a smirk which he returned. "Perhaps we can help..."

A a little while later they walked out from the inn.
"That went rather well commander" smirked Blayke. "Twenty-five percent. I'm impressed"
Robi laughed.
"Don't think Lohan was, but given his choice of our 'time limited offer' or another possible visit from The Dead Rose...what could he do?" she laughed in response. "Now what do you say we go visit an inn in The Dwarven District...."

"And there we have it, Sin'Aresh is established and I have a good feeling that Serrar at least will be a valuable asset" Robi finished briefing Blayke and Monty.
She didnt know what it was about Serrar but she had a gut feeling that Brotherhood operations would come easy to him, there was more to him she felt than just a good looking package of ears and eyebrows. "Well we'll soon see" she mused silently.
She'd instructed Blayke to train Serrar in the use of explosives, Blayke had rolled his eyes and made some sarcastic comment about "belfs" and incompetence.
Robi sent him the now token withering look and he responded with the now customary smug smirk and inclination of the head.
Surprisingly both of them laughed much to the amazement of both Odenia and Monty.
Perhaps it was the successful culmination of Sin'Aresh, or maybe that it was Winterveil, but the atmosphere in their meeting was light hearted and easy.
They laughed and talked together, Robi raising an eyebrow as Odenia thanked Blayke for the Winterveil gift. Must have it bad she thought as she sneaked a look at Blayke and Odenia.
"Honoured Odenia" laughed Robi "He didnt get me anything..."
"My dear Commander, what indeed could a mere man buy for one who already has the world at her feet..." Blayke responded dryly with a smirk, "Besides a gift may be construed by the delightful Shayanan to be making an advance on his wife..."
They laughed easily.
"I got a gryphon, cub?" said Robi "What do they call the young of a gryphon?"
"Its a bird is it not?" replied Blayke "So surely a chick?"
"But its back end is a lion" argued Robi "Therefore assume it has a lion's "bits" and should be a cub?"
Blayke shook his head
"Lays eggs...it's a chick" he countered
"Cub!" said Robi "How can it lay eggs?"
Blayke looked at her.
"I;ll draw you a picture shall I?"
Robi smiled, realising how silly her question sounded.
"Yes please, have you got enough crayons?" Robi shot back
"Enough for that yes" Blayke inclined his head and half smiled, however the smile was genuine and Robi laughed.
"Anyway cub, chick chub...whatever its called Shay got me one for Winterveil" Robi finished
"Thats good, yours is looking very grey around the muzzle, it needs retiring as soon as you have the new one trained" Blayke nodded.
"It? You mean he and his name is Charlie." Robi bristled slightly. Surely she wasn't the only one in Azeroth to give her gryphon a name and love it.
"Of course Commander..."
They exchanged small talk and banter for some time, all of them relaxed, even Odenia, Robi noticed was laughing and smiling with them. Monty as usual had them creased over laughing with his wiggling moustache and suggestive comments about Cheys underwear.

They became serious again as Arlis name was mentioned.
"We really need to get inside the city and find out whats happened" Robi said softly
All nodded but looked slightly despondent, Chey and Serrar really couldn't afford to be caught snooping around the prison, and they could hardly stroll into the city with a file baked into a cake for Arli.
"I still think its one less Thorn to worry about" said Blayke "If they execute him they'll be doing the world a small favour"
Odenia and Robi shook their heads
"No, we can't afford to have him talk, although Im unsure if he knows of our involvement"
"I agree" echoed Odenia "Its to our advantage that we find out whats happening"

There was a moments silence
"Anyone ever seen one of these before?" she asked holding up a small orb.
Curious looks and head shakes were the response.
"What is it?" asked Blayke
"A toy really, an amusing little artefact...but it got me thinking" she responded as she gave the orb a little twist.
She laughed as she saw three pairs of astonished eyes staring at her.
"Orb of the Sin'Dorei" she explained "Gives a brief illusion of being a belf"
"B" word Commander?" smirked Blayke.
Robi stuck her tongue out at Blayke. Odenia looked between the two in amazement and smiled happily, seeming glad that everyone appeared to be warm and joking together for once instead of bickering.
"Whats the point?" asked Monty
"You have got to be joking Commander" interupted Blayke "You can't really believe you can walk into Silvermoon like that, for fels sake woman I can see your tabard and..."he paused and smirked almost mischievously "youre way too fat to be a belf"
"Cheeky git" laughed Robi "does my bum look big in this?"

Robi explained that she'd had a thought, wondered if a skilled engineer and enchanter could work together on the orb, experiment, see if they could tweak it or something to hold the illusion and make it a bit more realistic.
There were snorts of derision and then thoughtful looks as the others pondered the ridiculous sounding idea.
"It could work I suppose" offered Odenia, while Monty nodded in agreement
"It would be too dangerous for you to go Commander" Blayke said "It would have to be you, I can;t speak a word of their language, can anyone else?" he looked at Odenia and Monty.
"Not a flamin syllable" said Monty while Odenia looked down and shook her head.
"Well won't hurt to test out the possibility..." Robi mused "I'll ask W, he's the best engineer I know"
"He enchants as well?" asked Blayke, thinking it would be a great advantage if he did, he was a brilliant engineer and discretion would be guaranteed.
Robi shrugged
"The Five could assist there perhaps, they have more resources than we do" Blayke suggested.
It was agreed that they would make investigations into the possibility of the orb but not build it into any future plans, they would consider it as merely an experiment and if it worked then so much the better.

Robi pocketed the orb.
"Right its late..lets adjourn for the holiday..well after Ive seen W..."
Goodbyes were exchanged and Robi left quickly with Monty, a quick glance over her shoulder at Blayke and Odenia who were still sitting. She smiled to herself, Blayke seemed keen on Odenia and one look at Odenia told Robi she had feelings for Blayke that she was valiantly keeping in check.
"Let leave them in peace" she whispered "Here Blayke..catch" she called and threw a sprig of mistletoe before sprinting from the inn laughing.

Robi laughed as she looked at her reflection.

"That's me?" she sounded amused and awed at the same time.
Warzor looked at her and returned her smile briefly.
"Yes, it's you, you must remember that, outwardly you look like a belf, but its illusion, your cellular structure hasn't been altered" Warzor explained his brow furrowed with worry. "Youre not seriously going to walk into Silvermoon City?"
"Wasn't planning on it, but W, this is amazing, better than I thought possible.."
W smiled and nodded. "Yes I know, I've done a wonderful job with the engineering on the orb, and I oversaw the enchantment of it too, yes Robi, I've outdone myself this time"
Robi laughed warmly and knelt to hug the gnome, she'd known him for ages, long before she met Shay and he'd always been there for her, he'd watched her back, shared her happiness and dried her tears in the time they'd been friends. "And as modest as usual..." she said as Warzor shuffled from her tight hug.
She looked again into the full length mirror, a willowy raven-haired Sin'Dorei looked back at her, it had the same full mouth as Robi and the little etched scowl, but there the similarity ended. Robi laughed again.
"I can't believe it W, I reckon I could walk into Silvermoon and nobody would be any the wiser. Call myself Rini..." she said as she posed and twirled in front of the mirror, amazed by her reflection.
"NO..NO..NO.." exclaimed Warzor, "It's a visual illusion, everything else is you, your voice hasn't changed, you still speak thalassian with an accent, and if anyone was to hold you, you'd feel like you too, and you won't be able to understand orcish or have any arcane abilities, you are not to go, do you hear me?"
Robi laughed and smiled affectionately. "Don't worry W, I'm not stupid...but I really think I could get away with it..."
W sighed, he knew her all too well, she was getting the stupid notion she could walk into Silvermoon.
"No Robi, if you even think it you'll leave me no choice but to tell Shay..." Warzor stated emphatically. "And if the illusion is as good as you think, then he'll probably kill you on sight before he realises...besides it's not an infinite illusion, it won't last more than a day at a time, possibly two""
Robi scowled at W.
"I said I wasn't going didn't I?" she nearly snapped.
Warzor smirked satisfied that his threat to tell Shay would prevent her doing anything rash.

She'd acquiesced to Warzor's objections and over the next few days thought little about it, however a hurried conversation on comms with Serrar and Chey as they reported they were unable to get close to the prison where Arli was held, gave her cause for concern.
They needed to find out what Arli was charged with and how effective the interrogation had been, and besides she was worried about Arli's well being, she didn't like to think about the effect it all would have on him.
"What can we do...?" she mused as she paced the floor thinking.Every idea had some flaw, nothing was forthcoming.She put her hand into her pocket and curled her fingers around the orb. She chewed her lip.
"Ah Bollocks" she muttered "It's the best idea I got...."

A flight to Zul'Aman, a flick of the orb, and Rini Kael'zan started her journey to Silvermoon City.